Folding unloading auger with over center linkage

ABSTRACT

An unloading auger for an agricultural harvester includes an inner auger; an outer auger pivotally coupled with the inner auger; and an over center linkage coupled between the inner auger and the outer auger. The outer auger is movable between an unfolded position and a folded position. The over center linkage is movable to a first over center position when the outer auger is in the unfolded position, and a second over center position when the outer auger is in the folded position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to agricultural harvesters, and, moreparticularly, to folding unloading augers in such harvesters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural harvester such as a combine includes a head and a feederhousing which remove the crop material from the field, gather the cropmaterial and transport the crop material to a separator. The separatorremoves the grain crop material from the non-grain crop material. Thegrain is cleaned and deposited in a grain tank. When the grain tankbecomes full, an unloading auger which is folded alongside the combineduring harvesting is moved to the unloading position in which the augerextends approximately perpendicular the longitudinal axis of thecombine. The combine drives alongside a vehicle into which the grain isto be unloaded, such as a semi-trailer, and the unloading auger isactuated to discharge the grain into the vehicle.

A trend in agricultural machines is for the size of the machines tobecome larger. One example is the size of the head (such as a bean head)on a combine. Since the combine drives alongside the vehicle into whichthe grain is to be unloaded, and a larger head means that the body ofthe combine is a further distance from the vehicle, the length of theauger must also be increased.

It is known to provide a folding unloading auger including an innerauger which folds alongside the combine, and an outer auger which foldsaround the rear of the combine and rests in a cradle during use. Afolding unloading auger prevents the auger from extending an undesirabledistance behind the combine when not used during unloading. The outerauger is manually removed from the cradle and moved to the unfolded andengaged position for an unloading operation. The outer auger is lockedrelative to the inner auger in the unfolded position using a manuallyoperable latch arrangement.

What is needed in the art is a folding unloading auger which can beautomatically moved between a folded and unfolded position, is held inthe desired position, and positively engages the outer auger at adesired orientation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a folding unloading auger with an overcenter linkage between the inner auger and outer auger which is lockablein over center positions when the outer auger is respectively in anunfolded position and folded position.

The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an unloading auger for anagricultural harvester, including an inner auger; an outer augerpivotally coupled with the inner auger; and an over center linkagecoupled between the inner auger and the outer auger. The outer auger ismovable between an unfolded position and a folded position. The overcenter linkage is movable to a first over center position when the outerauger is in the unfolded position, and a second over center positionwhen the outer auger is in the folded position.

The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a method of operatingan unloading auger in an agricultural combine, including the steps of:unfolding an outer auger relative to an inner auger; and moving an overcenter linkage interconnected between the inner auger and the outerauger to a first over center position when the outer auger is in anunfolded position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an agricultural harvester including anembodiment of a folding unloading auger of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hinge assembly and over centerlinkage shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the over center linkage shown in FIG. 2 when ina folded position; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the over center linkage shown in FIGS. 2 and 3when in an unfolded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2,there is shown an embodiment of an agricultural harvester 10 in the formof an agricultural combine. Harvester 10 generally includes a body 12,operators cab 14, grain tank 16 and unloading auger 18. Harvester 10 isdetachably coupled with a cutting platform or head (not shown) in frontof operators cab 14. A crop material is transported from the head into aseparator within harvester 10, with the grain being transported intograin tank 16 and the non-grain material being discharged back onto thefield using straw chopper 20.

Unloading auger 18 is used to unload clean grain from grain tank 16 to avehicle, such as a semi trailer, gravity wagon, straight truck, etc.Unloading auger 18 pivots about a generally vertical axis (dependingupon the orientation of harvester 10) at input end 22 which receivesgrain from grain tank 16. Unloading auger 18 is configured as a foldingunloading auger including an inner auger 24 and an outer auger 26. Innerauger 24 has an outer end 28 which lies adjacent to an inner end 30 ofouter auger 26. Inner auger 24 carries a flighting 32 therein (notvisible but indicated positionally in FIG. 2), which is held in agenerally concentric position within the auger tube by a supportstructure 34 at outer end 28. A first coupler 36 is also carried bysupport structure 34, and is axially movable within support structure34. First coupler 36 is rotatably driven by flighting 32 (and its centersupport member) within inner auger 24.

Outer auger 26 includes a discharge end 38 from which the grain isdischarged into a vehicle. Outer auger 26 also includes a flighting 40which is rotatably and concentrically supported within the outer tube bysupport structure 42 at inner end 30. A second coupler 44 also supportedby support structure 42 rotatably drives the center support tubecarrying flighting 40.

Inner auger 24 and outer auger 26 are pivotally interconnected with ahinge assembly 46 about a generally vertical pivot pin 48. Hingeassembly 46 is located on the side of inner auger 24 and outer auger 26closest to body 12, such that outer auger 26 may be folded around therear of body 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, conjunctively, an over center linkage 50 ispositioned at the bottom side of and pivotally couples inner auger 24and outer auger 26. Over center linkage 50 is moveable to a first overcenter position when outer auger 26 is in an unfolded position (FIG. 4),and moveable to a second over center position when outer auger 26 is ina folded position at the rear of combine 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Over centerlinkage 50 functions to retain outer auger 26 in a substantially rigidposition relative to inner auger 24 when outer auger 26 is in either theunfolded or folded position.

More particularly, in the embodiment shown, over center linkage 50 is inthe form of a two-bar linkage including a linkage 52 and an otherlinkage 54. Linkage 52 is pivotally coupled with inner auger 24 and hasa generally triangular shape with a first side edge 56 and a second sideedge 58. Linkage 54 is pivotally coupled with outer auger 26 andincludes a stop member 60 which provides a positive stopping surfaceagainst first side edge 56 or second side edge 58 when outer auger 26 isin the unfolded or folded positions, respectively. Stop member 60 abutsfirst side edge 56 when outer auger 26 is in the unfolded position (FIG.4), and stop member 60 abuts second side edge 58 when outer auger 26 isin the folded position (FIG. 3).

Linkage 52 also includes an actuator attachment feature 62 which ispivotally coupled with an actuator 64 (FIG. 2) for applying an externalforce to linkage 52 and thereby locking linkage 52 relative to linkage54 when outer auger 26 is in either the unfolded or folded positions.The directions of external force application by actuator 64 areillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 by directional arrows 66 and 68,respectively. In the embodiment shown, actuator attachment feature 62 isin the form of an attachment hole providing pivotal attachment withactuator 64. Further, in the embodiment shown, actuator 64 is configuredas an extendable pole, but may also be configured as an electricactuator, etc.

During harvesting operation, unloading auger 18 is held in the foldedposition at the rear of body 12 by applying an external force withactuator 64 in the direction of arrow 66 and thereby locking over centerlinkage in the position shown in FIG. 3. During an unloading operation,the external force applied by actuator 64 is released, outer auger 26 ispivoted to the unfolded position, and inner auger 24 is pivoted to theside of body 12 about input end 22. Outer auger 26 is held in theunfolded position by applying an external force with actuator 64 in thedirection of arrow 68 and thereby locking over center linkage in theposition shown in FIG. 4. Unloading auger 18 is then actuated to movethe grain from grain tank 16, through unloading auger 18 and into avehicle.

Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

1. An unloading auger for an agricultural harvester, comprising: aninner auger; an outer auger pivotally coupled with said inner auger,said outer auger movable between an unfolded position and a foldedposition; and an over center linkage coupled between said inner augerand said outer auger; said over center linkage movable to a first overcenter position when said outer auger is in said unfolded position, anda second over center position when said outer auger is in said foldedposition.
 2. The unloading auger of claim 1, wherein said over centerlinkage retains said outer auger in a substantially rigid positionrelative to said inner auger when said outer auger is in each of saidunfolded position and said unfolded position.
 3. The unloading auger ofclaim 1, wherein said over center linkage comprises a two bar linkage,one said linkage pivotally attached to one of said inner auger and saidouter auger, and an other said linkage pivotally attached to an other ofsaid inner auger and said outer auger.
 4. The unloading auger of claim3, wherein said one linkage has a generally triangular shape with afirst side edge and a second side edge, and said other linkage includesa stop member abutting said first side edge when said outer auger is insaid unfolded position, and abutting said second side edge when saidouter auger is in said folded position.
 5. The unloading auger of claim4, wherein said one linkage includes an actuator attachment featurecoupled with an actuator for applying an external force to said onelinkage and thereby locking said one linkage relative to said otherlinkage.
 6. The unloading auger of claim 5, wherein said actuatorattachment feature comprises an attachment hole.
 7. The unloading augerof claim 3, wherein said one linkage is pivotally attached to said innerauger and said other linkage is pivotally attached to said outer auger.8. The unloading auger of claim 1, further including a hinge assemblypivotally interconnecting said inner auger and said outer auger.
 9. Theunloading auger of claim 8, wherein said hinge assembly is located on aside of said inner auger and said outer auger, and said over centerlinkage is located under said inner auger and said outer auger.
 10. Anagricultural harvester, comprising: a grain tank; and an unloading augerin communication with said grain tank, said unloading auger including:an inner auger; an outer auger pivotally coupled with said inner auger,said outer auger movable between an unfolded position and a foldedposition; and an over center linkage coupled between said inner augerand said outer auger; said over center linkage movable to a first overcenter position when said outer auger is in said unfolded position, anda second over center position when said outer auger is in said foldedposition.
 11. The agricultural harvester of claim 10, wherein said overcenter linkage retains said outer auger in a substantially rigidposition relative to said inner auger when said outer auger is in eachof said unfolded position and said unfolded position.
 12. Theagricultural harvester of claim 10, wherein said over center linkagecomprises a two bar linkage, one said linkage pivotally attached to oneof said inner auger and said outer auger, and an other said linkagepivotally attached to an other of said inner auger and said outer auger.13. The agricultural harvester of claim 12, wherein said one linkage hasa generally triangular shape with a first side edge and a second sideedge, and said other linkage includes a stop member abutting said firstside edge when said outer auger is in said unfolded position, andabutting said second side edge when said outer auger is in said foldedposition.
 14. The agricultural harvester of claim 13, wherein said onelinkage includes an actuator attachment feature coupled with an actuatorfor applying an external force to said one linkage and thereby lockingsaid one linkage relative to said other linkage.
 15. The agriculturalharvester of claim 14, wherein said actuator attachment featurecomprises an attachment hole.
 16. The agricultural harvester of claim12, wherein said one linkage is pivotally attached to said inner augerand said other linkage is pivotally attached to said outer auger. 17.The agricultural harvester of claim 10, further including a hingeassembly pivotally interconnecting said inner auger and said outerauger.
 18. The agricultural harvester of claim 17, wherein said hingeassembly is located on a side of said inner auger and said outer auger,and said over center linkage is located under said inner auger and saidouter auger.
 19. A method of operating an unloading auger in anagricultural combine, comprising the steps of: unfolding an outer augerrelative to an inner auger; and moving an over center linkageinterconnected between said inner auger and said outer auger to a firstover center position when said outer auger is in an unfolded position.20. The method of operating an unloading auger of claim 19, includingthe step of locking said over center linkage using an actuator when saidouter auger is in said first over center position.
 21. The method ofoperating an unloading auger of claim 19, including the steps of:folding said outer auger relative to said inner auger; and moving saidover center linkage to a second over center position when said outerauger is in a folded position.
 22. The method of operating an unloadingauger of claim 21, including the step of locking said over centerlinkage using an actuator when said outer auger is in said second overcenter position.